4th Dec 2007, 22:23
Bought a used 98 Intrigue with a bit over 80,000 miles on it in January of this year. Overall, it's a pretty good car, but I've had a few issues with it...
1) The service engine soon light simply is a feature that comes standard. I've had the Oxygen sensors replaced, and that still hasn't fixed it. I've learned to ignore it, for the most part. I think I need a new gas cap, but that's not a big deal.
2) Big oil leak that my mechanic managed to make into a slight oil leak.
3) The odd, clicky steering that others have mentioned. After reading other posts, at least I know why.
4) Passenger side door hard to open. Also, seatbelt requires a special touch and a bit of manpower to get to latch.
5) And, currently, a heating/AC issue. It started this summer...I'd turn on the AC, and it would make weird wheezing/honking sounds when I turned it on. Put in some coolant, and it went away for about 3-4 months. But it's came back with a vengance, to the point now where there is no heat or AC in the car, just a honking/wheezing noise when I turn it on. I'll be taking it in to fix.
Outside of that, it's an OK car. 2 repairs in one year isn't too bad for a 10 year old car, and it did well on a long road trip I took recently.
15th Jan 2008, 08:46
I bought a 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue in May of 2000. So basically it was brand new, my very first vehicle. While most first car owners have high expectations, I realized mine was realistic. Within the first six months of purchase I started to experience problems with the vehicle. It was around the time that I discovered that GM was going to discontinue the car. Luckily my warranty was 100,000km or 6 years. On average I drive 20,000 km a year or less. Some of the issues I have experienced is having to replace the back suspension, replace interior around the door panels, replace the gear shift, constantly fixing the tire-rods, average once a year and burning oil issues. The tire-rods and burning oil issue was escalated to various members of my dealership, however they felt this was normal. After my warranty expired, I continually have issues with my tire-rod. Today, I got a sign for ABS issues too. I have no idea how much I will spend, but I think I'm actually going to say bye to my car this year and cut my losses, as I can't afford all these repairs! It is nice to know that I was not the only one. The other thing I continually experience is the flickering lights issues and have replaced that at least once a month. I appreciate this opportunity to share my experience and I am glad I am not the only one as my co-workers think I'm nuts for having bought the vehicle.
7th Feb 2008, 06:24
2000 Intrigue owner with 167K miles - I have owned my Intrigue since 2001 and didn't have any major issues... until recent years.
The major problem I have is the SECURITY light. I have read all entries and only about 2 or 3 have mentioned this problem. If the light comes on while driving, I can expect the car not to start the next time. I literally have to keep turning the key for about 10 minutes for the security system to reset itself (my neice and I have timed it to a "T". Lately, it has taken more than ten minutes. Try 4 days!!!
I had the cylinder lock fixed a year ago for $500 at the dealership since my mechanic couldn't fix the problem. Now it is doing the same thing over again. OF course when I went to the GM dealer they said it was another part within the cylinder and that would be another $500. How about that! Is there anyone out there that has had this problem and HAVE a solution? I can't be out of a car for 4 days waiting on the security system to reset itself. It's cold in CHICAGO! I have a running joke at work "My car won't let me steal it today. It has shut down again!" Please email me at agplus1@sbcglobal.net if you have any suggestions with "INTRIGUE" as the subject. Thanks.
As for the headlights, after reading the responses, I guess I did have those problems too! I guess it is time to trade in!
1st Dec 2007, 13:07
I have two Intrigues - a 2000 GLS and a 2001 GL. I really like both cars, but they are not without their quirks.
The 2000 I bought 4 years old from the dealer, and I was smart enough to get an extended drive train warranty. The engine started having a cold engine knock, which went away once warmed up. It sounded a lot like piston slap in my older olds V8 cars. I sent it to the dealer with a written letter stating my suspicion. The engine was at exactly 100,000 km (about 65,000 miles).
The first GM dealer where I bought the car passed me off, but did note the noise on a work order. The second GM dealer, which was an Olds dealer pulled the cylinder head and noted 1 cylinder worn beyond limits. No over sized pistons are available for the 3.5, so I got a whole new engine as a service unit under warranty! The bill was over $8000.00 with a $100.00 deductible on the warranty. Note to self - always buy the extended warranty!. The new engine now has 40,000 km on it and runs like a dream.
I do oil changes every 4,000 km, which is less than the recommended interval, but it seems to make a huge difference on these engines.
My 2001 had the intermittent signal lights - the flasher/signal light switch module was replaced and that fixed the problem. I noticed the running lights run hot, and have a tendency to melt the bulb sockets if the terminals get a bit corroded. I clean the sockets with a bit of emery cloth or steel wool, and the bulbs work OK after that, but keep an eye on them and replace the bulbs if they show any signs of a melted base.
Out of balance wheels will take out tie rods in no time, so I balance and rotate the tires twice a year also. The tie rods will give a front end thump and jump that most mechanics can't diagnose. Also, the cars are very fussy about balanced wheels and tire pressures. I also replaced the front hub on the passenger side. This side hits more rough road than the drivers side. The front vibration was fixed with the new wheel hub.
My sunroof mechanism broke and the dealer wanted $ 2500.00 to replace the whole unit - major rip off. Another dealer found a roof in the auto wreckers and replaced the entire unit and gave me a spare glass for $ 900.00. Moral of the story here is find a good repair shop you can trust. Do frequent maintenance, oil changes, balances, alignments, and fix any electrical issue immediately before it turns into a major one. Always give the service center a letter stating what is wrong so you can have a record of problems, as verbal notes just don't have the same impact at motivating a dealer to find and repair a problem. This will help in the event you need to take future action about items not fixed properly.
I now have the flickering light problem in my 2000 as the weather gets cold. I am going out today to get a new battery and Bosch alternator. I'll post another notice to let everyone know how I made out.